Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Sakai Port Risks

Three days before Oda Nobunaga committed suicide in Honno-ji Temple. On May 29th of the tenth year of Tianzheng, officials at all levels in Sakai Port had been notified long ago that they would expand the official road to the mouth of the Yamato River to make full preparations for welcoming Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Imperial Household Minister Hoin Matsui Yukan who was in charge of the reception, who is also the governor of Sakai Port, showed his friendship as a landlord, and even mobilized all the citizens to welcome Nobunaga's distinguished guests.However, among the big businessmen who came out to meet Ieyasu, quite a few of them did not know Ieyasu himself.

The day was sunny, but not unbearably hot.The cool southwest wind blowing from the sea passes through the city from time to time.The colorful flags of the ship Ieyasu and his party were on were fluttering. As soon as they docked at the pier, Imai Sohisa, the leader of the people who came out to greet them, reminded everyone: "Master Tokugawa is an elegant man, and there are many famous people in his retainers... I heard that there are also very brave and good at fighting. Warrior. Be careful." Because Imai Sohisa and Nobunaga's tea master Qian Zongyi were often recruited into the capital to hold tea parties, they also heard many rumors about Ieyasu's family affairs and the character of the Mikawa samurai.

"Such a brave guest." "Yes, even Lord Youfu is very envious. Lord Youfu once said that Lord Tokugawa has many good retainers." "Really? Since even Lord Youfu envies him, he must be a very good warrior." One of the elders was full of flattery and not all sarcasm.In this city, it is already a consensus that Nobunaga is "the most brutal person in the world". For nearly 120 years, in the war-torn Japan, Sakai Port has not succumbed to anyone's force. From the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Ashikaga Period, it has been conducting free trade with ships from the Ming and Western regions. As an unusually peaceful place, accumulated great wealth.Nobunaga was the first to conquer Sakai Port, threatened the citizens of Sakai Port, and made Sakai Port his own territory.

"However, since he is a person whom even the master of the Youfu regards him differently, he must be a handsome scholar. In this way, we should treat him well and treat him as a distinguished guest." I don't know who was talking like this, Zong Jiu stopped everyone with hiss.I saw that from the official ship with a clover pattern printed on it and a load of 30 shi, Ieyasu, under the guidance of Yukan and Hasegawa Shuichi, had already led Torii Matsumaru and Imachiyo onto the official road. The person who greeted him couldn't help but sighed and looked at each other.The distinguished guest, Ieyasu, was dressed plainly, much more shabby than the rich people who came out to greet him.This can't be called a distinguished guest...I'm afraid this is the first impression Ieyasu left on the people of this free port.

At this time, three girls appeared, holding gorgeous flowers, and squeezed in front of the rustic Ieyasu. These are the three girls specially selected under Youxian's instructions.When Ieyasu saw it, he was taken aback and stopped quickly.Meanwhile, someone squeezed in between Ieyasu and the girls. "Don't be rude!" The man stared angrily and shouted at the girls.It was Honda Heihachiro Tadakatsu who had been guarding Ieyasu. A samurai who has survived endless wars meets a girl who doesn't know what war is and lives in peace all the time.Imai Zongjiu panicked, and was about to step forward to explain, when one of the girls laughed.

"Stay away from your lord, you rude woman!" "However, if I don't come close, how can I offer flowers?" "No flowers are needed. If you really want to offer flowers, I will pass them on. Don't mess around!" Zong Jiu still wanted to say something, but was stopped by You Xian.This time, the three girls selected from the whole city to be in charge of reception are all wealthy daughters, and they are all women with outstanding talents.Therefore, Youxian quietly watched the development of the situation with a reassuring smile, and he felt that nothing could go wrong.

Of course there is another reason.Youxian originally arranged Ieyasu's apartment in Miaoguo Temple in this free port, and had people decorate it with cycads, white sandalwood, etc. in a Nanyang style.Unexpectedly, this was opposed by Ieyasu's guards at the beginning. The reason was simply that he was worried that the guards were weak. Therefore, the residence had to be replaced by Youxian's own house, which also served as a separate building. source of mischief. The girl who was reprimanded by Honda Heihachiro giggled again: "Don't Tokugawa-sama like flowers?" "I'm not talking about likes and dislikes, I mean: Strangers can't get close to the lord."

"You said we were strangers... It must be the first time we met when we came out to greet you. If so, let me tell you the names of the three of us. I am the daughter of Nawujiaoan; my name is Mushi, and this one is Qian Zongyi's daughter Ah Yin, the one opposite is Xiao Nishi Shoude's daughter..." At this time, Ieyasu said to Heibachiro: "Zhongsheng, take the flowers and go over quickly." "Yes." Heihachiro replied quickly, "Then, I will accept the flowers first and hand them over to the lord later. You give the flowers to me." It was supposed to be a momentary event, but such a move made the atmosphere very heavy, and people couldn't laugh or cry.No wonder.In fact, not to mention the Kinki and Chugoku areas, even the famous people from Shikoku and Kyushu often come to Sakai Port to buy things, but they have never been so prepared.

There is no distinction between daimyo and citizens here.If you want to go shopping, you can easily and casually travel east and west with only two or three people. Of course, wealthy businessmen make friends through tea ceremony and entertainment, which is very convenient for understanding information and knowledge of various places. But this time, the guards of the Three Kingdoms, who looked rustic and rustic, rejected the enthusiasm of the local citizens and regarded the kindness of offering flowers as malice. Tomokazu Matsui's mansion. The citizens watched them leave with disappointment and contempt on their faces.Ieyasu breathed a sigh of relief, and muttered as soon as he entered the apartment: "Heihachi, have you noticed that some suspicious people have finally followed them to Sakai Port? Who are they?"

Honda Heihachiro immediately realized that the security was not tight enough, and he couldn't help being taken aback. "Someone is following?" "Ah, forget it..." Ieyasu didn't say anything more, just walked through the corridor and followed Youxian. In Youxian's mansion, Yagi Suruga, the envoy of Honganji Mitsuzuo, had sent a large number of gifts, a total of five loads of three colors, including thirty fresh aji fish, a hundred big snakehead fish, and two large boxes of steamed buns. There are also some cup stands, seats and the like to welcome Ieyasu. While listening to Suruga Mamoru's report, Ieyasu was still thinking about the question just now.It is true that someone followed him from Osaka... It is impossible for Nobunaga to assassinate him with his hospitality, and it is impossible for Honganji to come here for friendship, and it is impossible for him to have malicious intentions.However, there were indeed people who looked like assassins, and five or six people formed a group and followed behind.There may be more than one such gang, at least two.

Therefore, Ieyasu deliberately announced that he would come by land, but secretly changed it to a waterway, and once announced that he would live in Myokuni Temple, but temporarily changed it to Matsui Yukan's residence.Just now at the wharf of the Yamatogawa River, when the girls presented flowers, Ieyasu was taken aback for a moment. He saw those familiar faces looming in the crowd again.One of them was indeed dressed in the clothes of a local citizen, with a dignified and beautiful face, which was unforgettable.As for age, sometimes he looks only thirty-seven or eighteen, but sometimes he looks older than Ieyasu. The only reason Ieyasu remembered the man's face so clearly was because when he set off from Nambatsu early in the morning, the man was indeed standing in the procession of seeing him off. The intimidating vigor, courage, and methods are also comparable to others... As soon as the boat docked, this face appeared in the crowd who came to welcome him as if nothing had happened, and Ieyasu was of course startled. As soon as the envoy from Honganji Temple returned, the host, Youxian, came in with a smile on the itinerary of Ieyasu and his party and Umeyuki Anayama's trip to the city. "Have a drink here tonight. Officials at all levels will come to accompany you. They will tell you about the world of Sakai Port and taste the delicious food here." Visit the city the next day.On the first day of June, there was a tea party held by Imai Zonghisa in the morning, and at noon at Tsuda Zongji's house, there was still a tea appreciation ceremony.In the evening, still at Imai's house, after the tea party, I watched Kowaka Mai, followed by a banquet.The schedule is pretty hectic. "In addition, if your lord has time, there is an official named Nawujiaoan who wants to see you. He has something urgent to say to your lord." Jiakang paid great attention to the word "important" and said, "I'll see you right away, please let him in." The speaker has no intention, but the listener has the heart.After a while, Youxian introduced a person.When Ieyasu saw it, he couldn't help being surprised.This person was the one who worried Ieyasu just now, the man he had seen in Namba Tsu and then at the pier. The man called himself Nawujiao'an, but he didn't come alone. There was a woman behind him.She was the woman who offered flowers and had a quarrel with Honda Tadama when Ieyasu came ashore.In this way, she is indeed the daughter of Nawujiaoan, named Mu Shi. When Jiakang saw the girl, he was taken aback again.If there was only this man in front of him, Torii Matsumaru who was standing by the side would probably have drawn his sword. "This is the father and daughter of Nawujiao'an. Since I have to speak my heart to you, I will not accompany you for the time being. Please don't be restrained, just talk to your heart's content." Matsui Yukan knows that Ieyasu has always been cautious, and when he said "don't be restrained", he emphasized it meaningfully, in order to hint to Shoan about Ieyasu's character.Then, he gave a deep salute and went out quietly. The sun had already tilted, and the wind blowing in from outside carried the smell of the tide and the sound of the waves. "My lord Jiao'an." After the sound of Youxian's footsteps disappeared, the man spoke in a loud voice, "I know Lord Lingtang, and I have seen her two or three times in Xisanhe." "Oh? You know my mother?" "Yes, that was back in Kariya. At that time, my name was Takeuchi Hataro, and I was still a young man with a fresh blood." "Oh." Ieyasu didn't know the purpose of the other party talking about these things, so he was more cautious and nodded calmly. "So, you and my mother are almost the same generation?" "Yes, maybe I'm two or three years older than Ling Tang Chi." "There is such a thing, I thought you were only thirty years old at most." "Haha," Jiaoan smiled happily, "I took a kind of immortality medicine, probably it has something to do with it." "Oh." "Forget yesterday, tomorrow will be worry-free. People with such a good heart can live forever. I have been to Luzon twice, Tianchuan once, and Siam once. Leaving the small Japan Going outside to visit and see the world is also a panacea for rejuvenation." "That's really enviable. In this way, the people here are really the best in the world." "My lord's words are very true. I really want to share this good fortune with the whole world. I am waiting for the hero who will share this good fortune with the whole world." Jiao An still smiled and said, "My daughter is called Mu Shi, speaking of it, this child is also somewhat blood related to Tokugawa-sama. I also met you today." "Blood with me?" "Speaking of which, this daughter is Lord Reidou's elder brother, and the granddaughter of Mizuno Shimono Morimoto, who was punished by Lord Youfu when he attacked Nagashima." "Oh?" Ieyasu was taken aback, and looked at the girl again.At this time, Jiaoan changed the subject again, "I don't know if Mr. Tokugawa found out, but when you set off from the capital, there were people following you all the time." "There...is there such a person?" "Some of them are from Jiaoan, and some of them are particularly suspicious. I have already had people find out that they are the subordinates of Yui Akechi Hinata Mamoru. I don't know what they did..." Jiaoan tilted his head, as if to see through Ieyasu. Eyes narrowed into a slit. When Ieyasu heard this, he was taken aback, but he kept his countenance and pretended to be puzzled. "Akechi Hinata's subordinates are following me..." Jiaoan also looked at Ieyasu thoughtfully. "Actually, my daughter Mushi and Guangxiu's daughter who is married to Zhongxing, because they both like tea ceremony and have some common beliefs, they keep in touch with each other from time to time. She has some things to say to adults in private Say……" Hearing this, Ieyasu's eyes suddenly shifted to Mu Shi.Mu Shi still had that fearless tone. "Mrs. Hosokawa, like me, believes in foreign religions." "Oh, I also visited the church in the capital..." "Once, when Mrs. Hosokawa met me, she had a troubled face..." When she said this, she made her voice playfully softer and softer, and finally stopped.Ieyasu let out a soft breath.Looking at it now, although the girl's eyes still have innocence, her words contain content that suffocates Ieyasu: Mitsuhide's retainers are following Ieyasu, and there is also a daughter married to the Hosokawa family... Ieyasu looked at him expectantly. Take a look at Jiaoan. If Mitsuhide had a different heart, he would of course explain the truth to his son-in-law Zhongxing and seek support. In this way, Ieyasu, who had a special relationship with Nobunaga, naturally became the object of their defense.So, why did this man who claimed to know his mother come to tell him on purpose? "In case..." Jiaoan opened the fragrant white sandalwood fan and shook it, "We have already discussed that if something happens in the capital, my friend Chaya Shiro Jiro will come quickly and inform Master Tokugawa... okay? It would be a tragedy for Japan, which is prone to see the dawn of peace, to return to troubled times." Ieyasu couldn't help leaning forward, but still didn't speak.Whether it is this man or this girl, how determined they are to say this.It seems that they are convinced that Guangxiu has a different mind. "Thank you for your advice." Jiakang looked at the two of them and said, "But, you are telling me these words because Ling Ai is somewhat related to me by blood?" "No, no," Jiao An replied, shaking his fan, "the war has been going on for more than a hundred years, and the people of the world are longing for peace. Going back to the troubled times, Lord Tokugawa must not be willing to see..." "So, your advice is for the sake of the people?" "That's right... I have made an oath with Master Lingtang since I was a boy, hoping that peace will come soon. Please be careful, sir." As he spoke, Jiaoan glanced at his daughter: "Don't you have something to say? Tell the grown-ups?" "Tokugawa-sama doesn't seem to know much about the city of Sakai Port?" This time it was Mushi who spoke first. As a woman, it was the first time Ieyasu saw her speak so freely and straightforwardly. "Oh, so I'm an unworldly bumpkin?" "Hey. Sakai Port is the eyes and nose of the whole world. Here, you can know all the movements of the princes of the world." "rational." "Where and who, how many guns were bought, for what purpose, where did you sail the ship...Youfu-sama was able to quickly establish hegemony because he firmly controlled Sakai Port in his hands." Ieyasu was intrigued by this unabashed remark. "So it's your eyes and nose that sniffed out this important event and came to remind me?" "No, Mr. Tokugawa had better have such eyes and nose." "That's right. What else do you smell?" "One of the wise-sama's daughters married to Amagasaki City, and I heard that she has frequent exchanges with this place." "Amagasaki..." "Yes, although Amagasaki Castle is said to be the city of the nephew of Lord Youfu, it is also the castle of the son-in-law of Lord Akechi. Also, the subordinates who followed bought gunpowder and went back. Then, Tsutsui Junkei's retainers panicked from the Sakai Minato's hiding place has been evacuated." Ieyasu couldn't help being speechless and looked at the girl.Of course, Jiaoan must have asked her to say this.Since the people of Sakai Hong Kong always stand in a calm and objective position, no major event can be hidden from their eyes. "Oh, really?" Ieyasu whispered. "Mushi, my lord is already tired, let's go back." Jiaoan urged. "Yes. Then please take care, Lord Tokugawa...Father said that he has an agreement with Lingtang, and he wants me to come to see you no matter what. Of course, I am also a grassroots who hates war, so..." After finishing speaking, Mu Shi She saluted respectfully and stood up, "Then, let's meet again during the banquet." Ieyasu watched the father and daughter turn the hallway intently.This person came here for the peace of the common people, and claimed to be his mother's Peng Fa, and his daughter, who seemed calm but also full of passion... "Matsumaru." Ieyasu's voice had never been so choked up, "Call Heihachiro here." "yes." "Tell him to come quietly so that no one can see him." "Yes." Torii Matsumaru bent over and trot out of the corridor. Ieyasu tidied up the table and slowly closed his eyes.The voices and smiles of Jiao An and Mu Shi clearly appeared in front of my eyes again.If Mitsuhide really had the heart of rebellion, then there would be no one with Nobunaga who stayed in the capital... "My lord, Hei Hachi is here." I saw Honda Tadakatsu running into the house in a panic, while Ieyasu still had his eyes closed and was still in deep thought. "Heihachi, let's finally come back to Sakai Port, right? I want to check the general situation of this city. You go and tell Gao Liqing and Kanbara Koheita what I mean." Heihachiro Tadakatsu heard this and felt puzzled. "If only these things were written on paper." "So, what's the population?" "A total of seventy-one thousand." "What about the number of men?" "It's less than 35,000, and there are slightly more women." "I see that there are quite a few brewers. How much is the brewing volume?" "According to Youxian's men, it's nearly 60,000 shi." "What about musket casting?" "About 800 people make 3,000 pieces a year. These are all said by Tachibana Usaburo." "How many foreign ships enter and leave the port a year?" "This……" "The number of whores is..." "not yet……" "The believers of foreign religions, the number of monasteries, the whereabouts of the goods, and..." Only then did Ieyasu open his eyes, "The number of ronin, I'm talking about the number banned from being hired by Lord Youfu. The so-called banned means that you can't hire people who have been hired before. There are also the number of rich merchants and the gathering of tea people. The location, the merchants operating Nanyang Railway, the detailed types and quantities of commodities, the number and income of engraving craftsmen that are not found in other cities...you count, there are still many things that need to be checked. Go, let the inspectors keep it in mind .” "What I'm saying is, I didn't think of this, I'll go right away." "Oh, and, according to Ufu-sama's order, I heard that Nobutaka, who crossed the sea to Shikoku, will dock at Kishiwada. However, the citizens of Sakai Port have an agreement that all soldiers are prohibited from entering. Ships are already prohibited from docking here. To the citizens here, Lord Youfu often gives way. Sakai Port is such a city, so let him not take this matter to heart.” "Yes. Then..." Heihachiro was about to get up. "Wait a minute, there's still..." Ieyasu looked around and lowered his voice, "You, together with Gao Li and Kanbara, pretended to be sightseeing, and quietly rushed to Kishiwada to check on the situation of Nobutaka's camp." "Master Nobuyo..." "Hush. If there is no abnormality in his camp, then go to the capital on the way. I will not tell you the reason. If Lord Youfu is still in the capital, go to see him and say that Jiakang wants to end the journey early and return within two days In the capital, I will personally send Lord Youfu to the expedition." "Huh?" Heihachiro widened his eyes.Ieyasu's travel plan should be to continue sightseeing from Sakai Port to Kishu and Nara. "Is there anything to worry about..." "If nothing happens. I had a nightmare. Go, Heihachi!" Heihachiro stopped asking.Ieyasu looked so tense, something extraordinary must have happened. "I'm going to the capital to meet Lord Youfu." He said firmly and walked out. Ieyasu is not naturally easy to trust others.In six months he will be forty-one.During these forty years of career, after careful observation and thinking, he discovered that human beings have four characteristics.Two of them are disadvantages.If the remaining two points are good points, this is a superior person.Most people have three weaknesses and one strength.However, there is no such thing as a person without an advantage. If you think you don't have one, then you haven't put your heart into it.Therefore, the struggle between people starts from the conflict of shortcomings, and the cooperation between people is the combination of advantages.In this sense, Nobunaga and Mitsuhide are most likely to conflict, and this is what worries Ieyasu the most. Although Nobunaga has three shortcomings, he has one outstanding advantage.If he hadn't realized this outstanding advantage, when Ieyasu ordered his son Xinyasu to cut his seppuku, he might have conflicted with Nobunaga long ago.Ieyasu was able to convince himself because he took a fancy to Nobunaga's only advantage-his so-called desire to "end the war".Peace is the aspiration of the people, and to end the war for the wishes of the common people is the only advantage of Nobunaga.The unification of the world is no longer the ambition of Nobunaga alone, but the voice of all people. Xinkang is a lovely child who is hard to let go.Ieyasu also felt very sorry and couldn't bear it.However, the continuous war will ruthlessly spread the tragedies of Nobuyasu and Ieyasu to the whole of Japan.It is this way of thinking that reason overcomes emotion.However, will Mitsuhide desire the end of the war as strongly as Ieyasu? Mitsuhide originally wanted to be famous, so he traveled all over the country, and later defected from the Asakura clan to the Oda clan.Therefore, if he hadn't been more convinced of Nobunaga's grand ambitions, Nobunaga would treat him no better than Ieyasu.If Ieyasu was hit as hard as Ieyasu, and Ieyasu survived, wouldn't Mitsuhide be able to bear it?This is by no means a matter of patience, but because each has different aspirations, so there is a huge difference in understanding of the general trend of the world. According to the schedule, Ieyasu participated in a banquet at Yuxian's mansion that night, and went to Honganji Temple, Jorakuji Temple, Myokuniji Temple the next day, and visited Rong Island.While looking at the many warehouses lined up at Shichido Beach and the Western-style ships moored by the sea, Ieyasu kept praying for Nobunaga's safety in his heart.In today's world, losing Nobunaga is tantamount to the fall of Chaoyang, and immediately all the heroes will rise together, and the world will be in chaos. On the first day of June, according to the schedule, Imai Zonghisa finished the tea party in the morning, participated in the tea party at Tsuda Zongji's home at noon, and returned to Matsui Yukan's mansion again in the evening to receive hospitality.Nawujiaoan was present almost every time, but he didn't talk to Ieyasu very much.It seems that, except for Jiaoan, no one seems to have noticed Mitsuhide's abnormality.Although Sakai Port refused Nobutaka's disembarkation, people only mentioned some Nobunaga and did not get angry. The dinner party ended on the first day of June, and it was time to return to the bedroom.At this time, Nobunaga had also gone to bed at Honnoji Temple. On the morning of the second day, Ieyasu ordered Ishikawa Boki Shoushu to gather everyone and asked Sakai Tadaji to go to inform Youxian that he would leave at Sishi.When Heihachiro Honda, who had gone directly to the capital from Kishiwada, came back with a bloodless face, the clock at Jorakuji had already struck ten o'clock. "A big deal, a big deal!" Honda Hei Hachiro shouted loudly as soon as he entered the gate of Matsui Yukan's mansion, "I am Honda Hei Hachiro Tadakatsu, the Tokugawa retainer, and I want to meet him at the lord's place." The other person who came in with him slipped through the door that had been opened to see Ieyasu off without even getting off his horse. The guard saw a man clinging to a worn-out horse, out of breath but full of energy, yelling loudly, and thought it was Heihachiro lying on the horse's back, but it was the opposite. Heihachiro didn't even say hello, just entered the gate and went straight to Ieyasu's place. "My lord, Chaya Shiro Jiro has rushed back from the capital to report a major event to you." Just at this time, Ieyasu also wanted to go out, so he had already recognized the two of them and was already waiting under the eaves.Heihachiro immediately stepped forward.Amidst the clamor, at some point, Hasegawa Shuichi and Matsui Yukan also followed out, standing on Ieyasu's side. "Water!" Heihachiro roared angrily, and immediately asked for water for the teahouse Shiro Jiro. "A citizen came from the capital non-stop. Why? Can't you see it? Bring water!" "Yes." Kodaira Kanbara agreed, scooped up a ladle of water and handed it to the tea house.Chaya Shiro Jiro fell down in front of Ieyasu, took a sip of water, and vomited on the ground again.It was a long time before he spoke. "Don't worry, Chaya, speak slowly." "Yes, Akechi Hinata Mori...Mitsuhide...conspired to rebel..." "Ah..." Everyone exclaimed suddenly, only Ieyasu stood there like a statue, staring at Shiro Jiro. "Master Youfu, at about 10 o'clock today, he died in the Inneng Temple..." "die!" "Yes, some people said that he was killed, while others said that he committed suicide. There are different opinions. However, it is absolutely true that he has already lost his life." "So, what about Nobutada?" "In Erjo City, die in battle." Before Ieyasu could ask, Matsui Yukan leaned forward and asked. "How can you be sure about the life and death of Lord Youfu's father and son?" "This..." At this time, Shiro Jiro of the teahouse finally regained his breath, "Not only the father and son of Youfu, but also the Honno Temple and Nijo Castle have been burned, and no one survived. The dead bodies on both sides are piled up like a mountain, which is terrible. Moreover, Hinata's guards have already died. Block all the entrances and exits of the capital, and all the inside and outside of the city are Hinata guards." "The tea house," Ieyasu asked at this moment, "So, even if I want to withdraw from here, I won't be able to enter the capital anymore?" "I'm afraid..." Shiro Jiro shook his head vigorously, "Even Yamazaki can't go any further. It seems that Lord Youfu and his son didn't notice the rebellion at all. It is said that they drank until midnight last night. There was an accident and there was no defense, the Honnoji Temple was surrounded by wise people, and all important checkpoints were strictly guarded." Ieyasu nodded wordlessly, raised his head, and stared feebly at the top of the pine tree.Nobunaga and his son, superstars fall!For him, this was something he could never have imagined. Although Nawujiaoan secretly informed Mitsuhide of rebellion, Ieyasu also felt that it was very possible, so he changed his travel plan and planned to go to Beijing, but it was unexpected that the father and son died at the same time so quickly.Among the factors that determine human life and death, there are indeed things that cannot be reached by human beings.Moreover, Nobunaga not only represents the rise and fall of the Oda clan, he has been closely connected with the fate of the world and the people.The father and son were killed so easily, is it due to carelessness, is it because the enemy came prepared, is it personal luck, or misfortune? God and Buddha killed Nobunaga, what exactly did he want Akechi Mitsuhide to do?Where will the world go, and where is the way out for the common people? Speaking of the important ministers of the Oda family, Niwa, Shibata, Takikawa, Hashiba... Ieyasu also has an alliance with Nobunaga for 20 years, and maintains a close relationship with Nobunaga as his in-laws.What the hell does God want me, Tokugawa Ieyasu... When Ieyasu silently stared at the top of the pine tree, the storm of bad news brought by Shiro Jiro, a wealthy tea house in the capital, engulfed the entire residence of Fushin in the blink of an eye.The shadows of Hasegawa Shuuichi and Matsui Yukan in the corridor also disappeared.When they let Ieyasu watch Noh and Kyogen and toast together, the world has undergone tremendous changes.Moreover, when they knew that Guangxiu was the initiator of this great change, they had to reconsider the attitude and defense of the city, as well as their personal situation. Soon, Honganji Temple also received the same report from Wu Fushi Kameya Eiren in Beijing, and panicked messengers also came from the residence of Fushin.I'm afraid that in less than half an hour, the violent storm will spread to every corner of the city, and it will definitely trigger various actions. "My lord, please hurry up and give the order." Tadashi Sakai pulled Ieyasu to the center of the hall and sat down, surrounded by important officials.Honda Heihachiro grabbed Chaya Shiro Jiro's arm and pulled him into the group so that Ieyasu could ask questions again.Ishikawa Kazumasa, Kanbara Koheita, Okubo Tadasa, Okubo Tadane, Amano Yasuke, Imachiyo and others all stayed there. Since the matter was too serious, everyone didn't know what to say, and they all sat in a daze. "My lord, we can't wait like this any longer. Make up your mind." The eldest Zhongji urged, but Ieyasu didn't answer. "My lord, if this continues, Hinata Mori's hand will reach out to this city." "Chuji...do you still have the gold we brought?" "You let us save some money, so there are more than two thousand taels left..." "Okay, start from here immediately, go to the capital to cut seppuku, and die for Lord Youfu." "Entering Beijing to cut seppuku..." Heihachiro was anxious. "That's right." Ieyasu nodded heavily, and opened his eyes, "I don't think Zhienyuan will suffer from war, right, Chaya?" "Where? People are killing themselves everywhere..." "Yes, go to Chion-in Temple to have seppuku." "It's just..." Okubo Tadao took a step forward desperately.At this time, Ieyasu continued calmly with the same tone: "Youfu-sama and his son were killed... This matter marks the end of my personal destiny, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Those who have run out of luck, if you still don't understand at this time , I can only be killed miserably, so I can't bear it. Fortunately, we still have gold left, and I want to donate the money to Chion-in Temple, where I can do seppuku quietly. Go and convey my thoughts to friends. I'm free, let him send someone to inform Niwa Gorozao who is in Kishiwada's filial piety, and then notify Nobusumi, the nephew of Lord Amagasaki Joyoufu." "My lord!" Zhong Neighbor shouted, "Rather than go to die, it's better to fight to the death! Even if you kill yourself, you must show the integrity of Sanhe warriors to the world..." "No!" Ieyasu ignored him and interrupted him, "If so many of us were killed during the journey, Ieyasu would be ridiculed by the world. People will say that Tokugawa Ieyasu is a man who doesn't know the art of war." Big idiot. Rather than being ridiculed by others, it is better to enter the capital in a dignified manner and die for Lord Youfu. If I know that I want to go to the underworld, I will not stop it. Tadashi, go quickly. Let’s go." After finishing speaking, Ieyasu stood up , one person goes out first. Even these mighty Mikawa warriors did not change Ieyasu's determination.This unexpected turn of events, coupled with Ieyasu's statement that they were too few in number, made it impossible to start a decisive battle with Akechi Mitsuhide's army.Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, followed behind Ieyasu blankly, and felt that there should be other ways out besides martyrdom.But if he said it, it would appear that he was too cowardly, so he hesitated.Of course, everyone doesn't want Ieyasu to die for Nobunaga alone. In this way, everyone's destiny becomes to die for the sake of death.Otherwise, it will be regarded as soft bones. A group of people came out of the gate of Youxian's mansion, and found that the faces of the people on the street changed drastically, and they all started running in a panic. "Heihachi, do we all have to follow the Lord's seppuku in the end?" Ishikawa Shusho just said it.Heihachi spat hard from the horse. "Damn it, wise bald man!" "If you hear this news on our territory, you will definitely lead an army immediately and cut this bald man to pieces!" "It's useless to say anything, the master has already made up his mind." Ieyasu rode in front without saying a word. When the group reached the foot of Sasazuka near Moriguchi, the guide Hasegawa Takemaru Hidekazu who started a little later chased after him out of breath. The sun had already set, and the horses borrowed by Youxian were exhausted.If this continues, it is impossible to finish the night journey... However, if you stop, you may be attacked by mobs or ambushers, and even farmers and fishermen may immediately riot.This area looks a little orderly, just because everyone pretends to be afraid of Nobunaga. Gradually away from Sakai Port, everyone became more and more silent.At first, everyone thought it was just Nobunaga's misfortune, and they all sighed at the sudden change that happened to the Oda family.Now this kind of misfortune has become the Tokugawa family's misfortune.Everyone feels the impact of this incident on themselves.Unexpectedly, as Nobunaga's guest, he went out for a tour without soldiers, but Nobunaga, who was the host, was killed. Mitsuhide's plan must be watertight, so, what Ieyasu said about returning to the capital to cut seppuku may be the best choice for this group of people. "Hey, there is no other way to go except according to what the lord said?" When Tadashi Okubo said this, his nephew Zhonglin's eyes turned red. "Uncle, maybe this time Master Youfu's hospitality for us is also part of Guangxiu's plan." This idea is not unreasonable.Among Nobunaga's important ministers, Mitsuhide is the oldest. He is both the builder of Azuchi Castle and the person in charge of the reception. Moreover, he returned to the territory one step ahead of Ieyasu and his party, waiting for the opportunity to wait for Nobunaga to enter the capital alone... Occasionally, often Will, better than any planner, create the perfect opportunity to tease self-righteous people who like to reason backwards. At some point, people seem to fall into the same illusion as loyal neighbors.When they traveled to Sakai Port, they fell into Mitsuhide's trap. Moreover, Mitsuhide had already calculated that Ieyasu and his party had no choice but to do seppuku at Chion-in Temple. At this time, Nobunaga's guide Hasegawa Takemaru Hideichi, who had been arranged by Ieyasu and his party, slapped his mount desperately and chased after him. "Hey, someone seems to be chasing you." Tai Yasumasa Kanbara Xiaoping, who was walking at the end of the line, was the first to notice and stopped his horse.After a while, I heard a voice: "I am Hasegawa." Ieyasu stopped his horse, still expressionless and stern. "Well, let's wait for him here. Everyone dismounts, sir, let's make a fire." So people tied up the horses according to Ieyasu's instructions, set up a place for Ieyasu to sit, and prepared to light a fire. “德川大人，哎呀，终于追上您了。”长谷川秀一刚下马，就擦着汗跪在了家康的面前，镇定地说道：“就连德川大人都去知恩院切腹，我们这些右府大人的家臣如是迟了，岂不让世人笑话？所以，匆匆忙忙安排了一下堺港的事情，就追过来了。好歹我也算是武士，这次就让我给大家做一个出色的黄泉路的向导吧。” 家康轻轻地点了点头。“唉，真不愧是长谷川大人。”似在寻找燃烧起来的火焰一样，他转过视线，“给你添了不少麻烦，现在，竟还让你来给我们做……” “大人说的哪里话。从这里到京城，路上有很多凶险地段，还有响马。” “多谢，家康记在心上了。” “大人又见外了……既然我是右府大人的家臣，给德川大人带路又是右府大人吩咐过的，所以，无论让我带到哪里，我都非常乐意。” “长谷川大人……”说着，家康似想起了什么，“堺港还安定吧，光秀的手当还没有伸到那里……” “不，似已进来密探了。如果德川大人退回三河，他们定会穷追不舍。” "indeed." “可是，他们似已得知德川大人赶赴知恩院切腹之事了，而穴山梅雪正在急急忙忙地赶回三河，所以，他们好像正在穴山后面紧迫不舍。我觉得劝穴山也去殉死，有点勉为其难，便没有跟他打招呼就出发了……” 家康稍微加大嗓门，“长谷川！” "exist." “我看你有了不起的武士气节，干脆就把我的真心话告知你吧。” “哎？您的真心……” 不仅是秀一，周围所有的重臣们都为之一愣，屏住了呼吸。 “实际上，家康并不是去切腹。” "Oh?" “如果不体谅右府大人的用心，胡乱切腹，右府大人定会怒目瞪着我们，狠狠地责骂：混账东西，年纪轻轻的，就糊涂了！”家康的眼底这时才露出锐利的光芒来，“长谷川，右府大人的志向是想早一天平定天下的战乱，因此，对于暗害了右府大人的明智光秀，如果我相信他有超群的实力，即使抛家别子，奉献出自己的肉体，我也心甘情愿。” “大人在说什么啊，相信那个逆贼？” “你们急什么，这只是一个假设……可是，明智光秀只是个逆贼，他的志气怎可堪比右府大人的鸿鹄之志，可以说，他不过一名战国武将罢了。他怎有治理天下的雄才大略？故，家康就假装切腹，早早地从堺港出发。” "..." “为了让潜伏在堺港的明智手下放松警惕，暂且逃到这里。即使从地上爬，我也定要撤回三河，举兵讨伐明智光秀……以慰右府大人在天之灵！这就是德川家康的本意。” 所有的人都盯着家康，僵在了那里。四周已经暗下来。映着火红的篝火，长谷川秀一的脸颊上露出一种不可思议的笑容。他微笑着望着家康，又望望围着的重臣。可是，不久，这种微笑就从嘴唇边消失了，代之的是一种苦笑，他眼里湛满了晶莹的泪珠，肩膀也随着剧烈地抖动起来。 “到底还是德川大人……听了大人一席话，我耳中甚至听到了右府大人在九泉之下的赞叹声。”说着，他这才用手擦了一把早已淌到脸颊上的泪水，“说句实话，我也是想劝大人这样做才急匆匆地追过来的。大家都赴黄泉并非上策，大人和我们不同，是仅有的几位能继承右府大人鸿鹄之志的人之一……我要先把您平安地送回三河，我再飞赴京城，随右府大人而去，这就是我的愿望。” 家康使劲地点点头，闭上了嘴，直盯着跳动的火焰。“穴山人道是去替我们受死……”他小声地念叨着，飞快地环视了一眼大家，“忠次，把黄金拿过来。” “哎，这里又不是花钱的地方。” “行了，快拿过来，每人分两锭。现在已经不是意气风发的观光之旅了，从近江到美浓的官道不能走了，路上无论遇到什么样的艰险，也希望大家务必活着踏上三河的土地！” "yes." “不要以为防身的武器只有刀。大家权当又捡回了一条命，赶路！” 大家这时才弄清楚家康的意思，不禁面面相觑。 “一锭用完，立刻告诉忠次，身边要始终保有两锭黄金。然后……”家康回头看了一眼本多忠胜，“剩余的你和忠次共同保管，不得离开我身边半步。” "As ordered." “遇上了敌人，如果是一两个农夫的骚乱，不要擅自拔刀。凭你们各人的才能去交涉，施点金银打发过去就行了。若是三五十人、成群结队的那种，立刻让忠次、数正或者平八通知我，我亲自处理。” 家康一边说，大家一边点头，在此期间，酒井忠次已经把黄金分发完毕。 “大家领到金子之后，我再重申一下。” "yes." “大家就权当跟随我一起进了京城，在知恩院已死过一次，抱着这样的想法就行了。死过的人还有何虑？要忍耐，只有忍耐，才能所向披靡。一定要把我刚才讲的刻在心里。大家明白了吗？” “明白！”大家异口同声地回答。 这时，家康才把视线重新移到长谷川秀一身上。“你也听到了，我刚才讲了这次行程的思想准备。那么，究竟走哪条路，怎么走才安全，我想听听你的想法。” “让大人见笑了。”秀一擦着眼泪道，“日向守心思缜密，心细如发，所以，德川和明智的战争现在已经开始了。我说这些，是想请大人心中有数。” 说着，秀一从怀里掏出一张地图，在地上展开来。大家的视线不约而同盯在地图上。尽管没有人说一句话，可是当大家得知不是去殉死，而是返回三河之后，心里立刻充满激情。 “日向守会加倍小心，所以纪伊、山城、大和定已安排重兵。” "It's natural." “因此，我们就要出其不意，绕到他的背后，先北上，然后折向东边，从津田、穗谷，穿过宇治田原和乡口的山路，再从多罗尾进入伊贺。这是上上策。” “高见，实在是高见！翻山越岭到伊贺去……可是，我的家臣中没有识路之人……” “关于这件事，请大人不要担心。茶屋四郎次郎已说了，他愿为大家带路。” “茶屋，你对那里的地形有把握吗？” “有把握。”此前，几乎一直藏在大家身后的四郎次郎答道，“小人的战术也跟德川大人的策略一样，是用黄金白银作为武器。” “这种武器在日向守的手伸不到的地方一定会发挥奇效，可是，如果在他的势力范围内，就会适得其反了。” “这些小人已经想到了。我已经托在堺港认识的龟屋荣任派人从通行的北侧到江州的信乐边沿路打探。龟屋比我早一步返回京城，所以，明天天亮时分，日向守的手是不是伸过来了，或伸到哪里了，沿路就会有人通知我们。” “哦，真是机敏过人啊。”家康道，他突然不安起来，这里又有一人识破了自己名为赴知恩院切腹，实则伺机逃回三河的假象。或许明智一方也已经知道自己的心思，却故意去追赶穴山梅雪吧？若真如此，一刻也不能犹豫了，事态已经发展到刻不容缓的地步了。 “那么，从多罗尾进入伊贺之后，再走何处合适？” “若是这样……”秀一用扇子指着地图的上方，“进入伊贺之后，我们就会踏上丸柱、河合、柘植、鹿伏菟这些险峻之地，路虽艰险，却无遭袭之忧。从鹿伏菟进入信孝的领地神户之后，敌人就鞭长莫及了。从伊势渡海便到三河。” “好！”家康信心百倍，“本来想今晚在这里野营，可是，由于是事关生死，家康的性命就托付给长谷川和茶屋二位了，立刻出发！” 人们振奋起来，重新紧了紧已经松弛的鞋带。 这个决断下得正是时候。如果再晚一个时辰，恐怕家康也和穴山梅雪一样，在这一带曝尸荒野。